First Lady Michelle Obama brushes off Oscars critics as ‘just the nature of life’

Anne Hathaway isn’t the only target for critics of the Oscars. First Lady Michelle Obama’s surprise appearance to announce Argo as Best Picture might have sounded like a nice idea, but some pundits have blasted the move. In an interview with Today, Obama defended it and brushed off criticism as “just the nature of life.”

“That’s just the nature of life. I mean, we live in a time when there are bloggers and tweeters and 24-hour news and everyone has a voice in this town square, and it’s a big one,” Obama told Today’s Kelly Wallace while promoting her Let’s Move campaign. “That means at any point at a given time, somebody’s not going to like what you do. That’s just the nature of things.”

She explains that the critics are really just another aspect of today’s constant social media culture, in which people will complain about anything.

“It’s a part of the culture,” she explained. “It’s not really about me, I just happen to be in the public eye and along with everybody else in the public eye, you’re subject to conversation, opinion and all that sort of stuff. There’s nothing new about that.”

Obama was interviewed at a Springfield, Illinois Walmart and also dismissed all the attention her bangs have grabbed. “It’s a haircut! I’m sorry. I don’t know what to tell you,” she said.

Obama had appeared live via satellite from the White House Sunday night, helping Jack Nicholson announce the Best Picture nominees and eventual winner,Argo. The Hollywood Reporter noted that Harvey Weinstein, an Obama supporter, helped put it all together.

Even though Nicholson joked that it would be hard to find issue with her appearance, it was harshly criticized by some even in Hollywood, who found it unnecessary.